The Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commission Proposed 2008-2009 Waterfowl Seasons

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Frankfort, KY – The Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commission proposed the 2008-2009 waterfowl seasons at its quarterly meeting August 15.

The Fish and Wildlife Commission recommends all hunting, fishing and boating regulations for approval by the General Assembly and approves all expenditures by the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. The Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commission must place waterfowl seasons in the framework mandated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service because all migratory game birds are under federal control.

Ducks, Coots and Mergansers:

· Duck season opens November 27, 2008 (Thanksgiving Day) and closes January 25, 2009.

· The scaup and wood duck bag limits for the regular duck season changed for 2008-2009. For the first 40 days of the regular duck season (November 27, 2008 – January 5, 2009), hunters may take one scaup daily. For the last 20 days of duck season (January 6 – January 25, 2009), hunters may take two scaup per day. This is the maximum number of season dates and bag limits allowed under the frameworks of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

· Hunters may also take three wood ducks daily during the regular duck season. The bag limit for the early September wood duck season remains two wood ducks per day.

· There will be no harvest of canvasback ducks for the 2008-2009 duck season.

· Season dates for mergansers and coots are the same as the duck season dates for the 2008-2009 seasons. The daily bag limit for mergansers is five, only two of which may be hooded mergansers. The daily limit for coots is 15.

Dates for the goose hunting seasons are as follows:

Canada Geese:

· Western Goose Zone – November 23, 2008 - January 31, 2009

· Pennyrile-Coalfield Goose Zone (including West-Central Canada Goose subzone) – November 23, 2008 – January 31, 2009

· Eastern Goose Zone – November 23, 2008 – January 31, 2009

· Northeastern Canada Goose Zone – December 27, 2008 - January 4, 2009 and January 19 – January 31, 2009

White-fronted Geese:
· Statewide – November 23, 2008 – January 31, 2009

Snow Goose:

· Regular Season – November 23, 2008 – January 31, 2009

Snow Goose Conservation Order Season:

· Eastern Goose Zone: February 1 – March 31, 2009

· Western, Pennyrile-Coalfield and West-Central Goose Zones:

February 1 - February 6, 2009; February 9 - March 31, 2009

Youth Waterfowl Season:

· Eastern Zone: November 1-2, 2008

· Western Zone: February 7-8, 2009

In other waterfowl-related business, the Commission recommended dropping the requirement for a special permit to hunt Canada goose in the Northeastern Canada Goose Zone.

The waterfowl refuge area on Taylorsville Lake Wildlife Management Area is now open to hunting, fishing and wildlife watching, but waterfowl hunters must cease hunting at 2 p.m. daily.

The Commission recommended several changes for furbearer hunting and trapping to take effect for the 2009-2010 season. They recommended extending the hunting and trapping season for furbearers through the last day of February instead of noon the last day of February. The trapping season for bobcats will run until the last day of February. The Commission also proposed defining a snare as “a wire, cable or string with a knot, loop or a single piece closing device which is not power or spring assisted.”

In fisheries business, bow anglers who shoot paddlefish or catfish must commit them to their daily bag limit of two paddlefish and five catfish. There shall be no release of paddlefish or catfish shot with a bow. Bow anglers must use arrows with retractable barbs. These new regulations go into effect March 1, 2009.

The next Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commission meeting will be held at 8 a.m., Friday, December 5, 2008 at #1 Sportsman’s Lane off U.S. 60 in Frankfort. Persons interested in addressing the Commission must notify the KDFWR Commissioner’s office in writing at least 30 days in advance to be considered for placement on the meeting agenda. People who are hearing impaired and plan to attend the meeting should contact the KDFWR at least 10 days in advance and the agency will provide a translator. To request to address the commission, write to KDFWR, Commissioner Dr. Jon Gassett, #1 Sportsman’s Lane, Frankfort, Kentucky, 40601.

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